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At the Community Climate Council (CCC), climate activism isn't one-size-fits-all — it's as creative and diverse as the community behind it. One exciting project we’re thrilled to share is the Climate Book Club, a collaboration between the Brampton Library and the CCC. Building this partnership with the Brampton Library was incredibly exciting! At CCC, climate activism can take many shapes and forms, including conversations, educational events, creative storytelling, and local initiatives that bring people together. By using books as a starting point, we can spark meaningful conversations and increase awareness - the first step towards climate action!
And so, on April 28th alongside South Fletcher’s Library, we hosted the first community book club! From students to working professionals to retirees, all members of our community joined this climate conversation out of a shared concern for the environment. The discussion reflected not just a range of perspectives, but a collective sense of urgency and care. What struck me the most about the event was how community-centered this meeting felt. The attendees didn’t just come to discuss the book but also to connect with other people who care about climate change and the environment. Some spoke about how climate change affects their work or their children’s futures; others expressed how isolating climate anxiety can feel and how refreshing it was to find a space for open, hopeful conversation. Several attendees even mentioned they’d never been to an event like this before, but would absolutely come again. A powerful reminder that when people come together to share ideas and experiences, it fosters both personal connection and collective action toward a more sustainable future.
Climate Book of the Month: The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg
The Climate Book has a unique structure; it is a collection of writings by more than 100 contributors, including scientists, activists, Indigenous leaders, and Greta Thunberg herself. All contributors share their perspectives on climate change and focus on their area of expertise. Personally, as a current graduate student researching food insecurity, I was drawn to sections that discussed how climate change affects food systems and food access. Hearing how others connected with different parts of the book reminded me that everyone’s relationship with the climate crisis is personal.
People came to these conversations with their own experiences, priorities, and reasons for wanting things to be different. One attendee mentioned a quote that stood out to the group: “We are built for another reality altogether, and our brains find it hard to react to threats that aren’t immediate and sudden for many of us, threats like the climate and ecological crisis. Threats that we can’t see clearly because they are too complex, too slow-moving, and too far away." This insight helped me reflect on the psychological barriers that shape public inaction, even when science is clear on the issue.
The librarian prepared a thoughtful list of open-ended questions that invited participants to share their personal reflections, regardless of how much of the book they had read. Near the end of the discussion, I added my questions that were specifically related to climate change. The discussion was becoming a bit morose, so I wanted to end with a more optimistic question, asking what gives people hope when thinking about the climate crisis and whether there are any recent examples that inspire them. Many of the participants listed various initiatives around Peel that gave them optimism, such as community gardens, youth-led climate action groups, and efforts to reduce textile waste through clothing swaps and recycling programs.
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For me, the fact that books like The Climate Book are being written by someone as young as Greta Thunberg is something that genuinely gives me hope. It’s inspiring to see younger generations taking the lead and helping to shift the public conversation on climate change. It reminds me to not just stay informed, but to keep showing up, whether that means facilitating events like this book club, sharing resources through CCC’s platforms, or simply making space for conversations in my own circles.
Events like this book club show that climate conversations do not have to be restricted to classrooms or activist spaces but can happen in local spaces, like libraries. For me, seeing people engage with the material and open up about their hopes and concerns was deeply encouraging. It’s inspired me to incorporate these community perspectives into my own research on food insecurity and climate change, and to use my findings to raise awareness about these interconnected issues.
Save the Date for the Next Book Club
The Community Climate Council is committed to creating more spaces like this; spaces where climate education, community dialogue, and local action come together to build local climate awareness and action. If you’re interested in getting involved or supporting future events, follow us online or reach out; we’d love to connect!
Save the date for the next book club and join our climate conversations:
📅 Next Event: July 28th @ 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
📍 Location: South Fletcher's Branch - Shoppers World Brampton
📖 Book: Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast by John Vaillant
📝 Register now to join the climate conversation!
